Impeoysmeht is sleoteic switches



tat-itch ltstes crire-tzt Lettersrfalteiit No. 71,*i58, ated November i9, i867.

EMPEOVEHENT IN ELETREG SWITES.

@igt tigehult retentit in tinte nter gnent titanium 'rit et tigt niet.

.TOl ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I; SAMUEL GARDINER, Jr., ot' New York, New York county, State oi New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches and-Keys; and do hereby declare thc following i, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, which will enable others. skilled in the art tomnke'anti use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specicntion.

Figure l is n perspective view of a combined switch und key for both turning on and oil" and lighting ges, and applicable also for signal purposes, ns will he hereinafter explained.'

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same at 1 z, iig. 3.

Figure 3is atransverse section at y y, iig. 2.

Figure-4 is a perspective view of a connecting-plate employed to communicate a succession ot` impulses tcn. single apparatus forturiiing on and on' gas or for other purposes. I

Figure 5 is a perspective vieu' ofthe working-face ofc cam-collar employed to automatically open and close the circuitA by the rotation of a shaft. A

Similar letters out' reference indicate corresponding parts in the diiercnt views.

The subject of my invention is an electric switch or combined switch anti key adapted for turning on and on' and lighting gas, ringing bells, signalling on railronti trains, or for other purposes. .i

My invention consists, first, in the provision in o rotary springswitch of a Cain by which the circuitfcloser is mechanically withdrawn from its bearing to svoid friction when the switch is rotated; second, in e provision whereby a number of successive. impulses may he mechanically` imparted by a simple rotation of the switch; third, in the combination cfa lighting-key with a switch whose rotation communicates several distinct impulses to tur-n gas on or oii'; fourth, in the provision ot' an indicator to show the position of the circuit-closer in a rotary switch. i i

-In the drawings, A represents a .shaftjourualled in bearings a so ns to be capable of free rotation and a limited longitudinal motion, a. spring, C, serving to return and press it home into its inner bearing o. A' is n knob by which to turn the shaft A. D may represent the electric inoin 'or connection with the positive pole of the battery. This wire is iu electrical communication with the bridge B, in which is the outer bearing bei the shaft A. E represents au arm, projectingfromlhe shaiftvA, and provideilwith a platinum face or ctlge. at c, by

which the shaft A, and thcrehy'thc main circuit er positive wire, is brought into cl'cctrical connection with any Oneof a series of negative u'ircs, l F Reach of which may communicate with a section of burners, tobe ignitcfl ot one operation.v In its noimal or inactive position, the arm E rests in a receso, grin an insulating ring or disl-r G, within which cre embedded metallic plates fff, connected )Vith the respective wires F F il represents a'collar or projection on the shaft A, forming one or more canile., 7L it 7i, corresponding in nut-55er lvith. thorns-ga tive wires 'r' F F,'or with the number of impulses which it nrjy be desired to communicate to an electro-magnet or other single apparatus, under a modification ot the switch which shali presently describe. As the shaft rotates, the cams 7L 71 71,. u oi .-g over a projection, I, on the bridge B, or other fixed object, impart ende/isc motion to vthe shaft, in opposition to the spring C, so es to retract the arm E from the successive plates fff, anti permit itjo be returned to each of them in succession by the action of the spring C, se that the electric conneotion is broken and closed by the simple rotation ot` the shaft, without any iriction' upon thc platinum erige. I thus entirely overcome the great diiliculty which results from the wearing of the platinum connection in rotary electric switches as heretofore constructedl J represents a dial with Figures corresponding with the several wires F l" l", so that a pointer, K, on the shaftA, will indicate which of the sections is in connection, and nh-en on zero will indicate that the circuitissbrokcn.

For communicating a `succession of impulses' to n magnetic stop-cock for turning gas on eroi?, employ a cresccnt-shapcrl plate, LLwhich may cover the dirk G, a9 iuiiicutetl by red outline in iig. 3, and is of suflicient length to receive the arm at :illpnrtsto its rotation excepting for s, sn'ioient space at g, to permit the arm to rest on the insulator G, so nsto keep the circuit open. In thisase the collar H may have oncfourth as manycome, Il, as there ar'e teeth with@ ratchet-wheel of thegaslccoif, go that o complete rotation of the shaft A. will impart the requii-etluumber oi impulses to the magnetic cngineto rotate. the gas-ceci; ninety degrees and thus turn thc gas completely onor of?.l When the apparatus is thus use@ for turning gfi GD 01 @if I, melig* the kmh A and .shaft A. hollow, as shown iuttlo drawings, and employ/1i' iightingkey, consisting of a roti, hl, fitted to rines Q .slide longitudinally within the knob and shaft, ond pressedcutwardby a spring, N. The projectingvoutcr end of the rod M hns n 'button or lmob, mLto-Which the linger of the operator is applied o press it in,' and .when

, thus pressed in, a platinum point, 6a, on its inner ond, by coming in contact with n plate, 0, in electric connection with the negative lighting-wire P, closes the circuit and lights 4sinnnltaneously all the burners ofthe chandelier, or any section or series of burners, which may bs controlled by the turning-switeh A E H.

The apparatus, nnder the genes-el form first described, is Well adopted for ringing bells in hotels, dwellings, lnnd other plc-ces. For this purpose prefer to have two insulating points in the disk, with corresponding zero marks on the dial, and two conducting points ot opposite places on the disk, so that when the arm is 4resting on the insulator, with the Wires at either zero mark, ono-heit a revolution ofthe shaft will close the circuit so as to :rings` the bell und again open itin readiness for the next occasion. The two connecting-wires may bejoined to neonimou electro-magnet, the armature of which is connected to the hammer of the bell. When desired, a single ell con be used for eli the apartments, .and the electromagnet, as Well as actuating the bell-hainmer,.can be nedeto indicate, by pointing to er exposing o nnmber, or in any other suitable way, the apartment to which it belongs.

For signalling on raiinay traine, empioy c. switch, of tho construction last described, ot any convenient gfeeeor places in each csr, preferably one et @zich oud oi' the cnr, neer the door. The insulated wires will pass down 'to n protected position beneath the car, sind tney be provided with cups and screws, or any suitable means by which to connect and disconnect them irony. car to car,l as the latter are coupled and unconpled, or, if preerred, an insulated attechment may be applied to the car-conpl`ings, by -which the electric connection of the insulated wires'mey be oil`ected. automatically in 'the not of coupling the cars. To insure the effectiveness cf thereturn circuit, without depending on tho rails, wheels, and confiamos, I propose to run common, naked wires iroin end io end, beneath each cer, connecting with the coupling-irons, and also with the negative or return wires of the switches.4 The battery ino-y be located :in the tender or in any other part of the train, and the wire of course connects with an electro-magnet to nctuste a bell-hammer in the cabin of the locomotive.-

thn's provide an effective, reliable, ond convenient mode of signalling on railway trains, instead oi' theA uncertain ond inconvenient bell-cord in common use. t iswell known that with the common bell-cord, the pull-` ,ing in of the slack end imparting the proper member of jerks to the hemmer, consumes from fifteen to thirty seconds before any intelligence can be communicated to the engineer; whereas with my apparatus the desired .signal can be conveyed instantaneously :.nd reliably, end it is manifest that by thus avoiding mistakes end loss of time, serious destruction of life ond propertyl mcy e'ten bo prevented. The convenience and efectiveness of my signal apparatus will also avoid the necessity of the conductor signalling the engineer from the ground by hond or by lantern, as de now commonly preotised on storting. By my device the conductor, without leaving his post oi' duty on board the train, cnn communicate' any necessary signal with so much ease and certainty that he will seek no other means of doing so.

' For sonic purposes the shaft A. may lieve het s partial rotation, the spring serving, as before, to hold it down to its sent, and insure the effective metallic connection of the nrm E with the conducting-plate or wire.

Hoving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

El. The shaft A and` arm E, constituting on electric .switch held to its bearing by nspring, C, to insure effective metallic connection, substantially se described.

2. The cam-coller H, employed to' Withdraw the switch from its bearing in thc-act of rotntion, ne explaincdi 3. '.lhe conductingplotc i, employed in combination with the rotary switch A E,vc.nd cam-oollm1 H, to innert a given number of impulses by a simple retention of the switch, as setforth. l

d. The lighting-key M, in combination with the gas-turning device A E C H L, for the purposes set forth. 5. The combination of the indicating diol J and index K with the rotary switch A E, as and for the pur- ,foso set forth'. SAM'L GARDINER, Jn.

Witnesses J. E. M.' BOWEN. 

